THINGS CHANGE
by Red Tide
Summary: Draco takes on a challenge that will change his life forever, and the life of the very person who is that challenge. Chapter 3 is up: A game of football amongst students! Enjoy!
1. Default Chapter

I don't own Harry Potter or anything related to it.  
  
Authors note: For this story, I made up extra characters and things to fill in needed elements of the story. If you see anything or anybody you don't recognize, that's the reason. Also, I read the books along time ago so my memory of all the stuff isn't as great as it used to be so if anyone sees any major mistakes or even little things, be sure to put it in the review, if you do decide to review.  
  
THINGS CHANGE  
  
By Red Tide  
  
Chapter 1: You've got to be kidding.  
  
Herbology class.what a waste of time.  
  
Draco Malfoy sat with his shoulders sagged in the outside classroom, the sun shining down from the windows upon him, highlighting his profile. He was having a revelation. Of course, it was more like something he had known his whole life. This class was a complete waste. He would never in his whole life use herbology. He thought about it for a moment. He never was going to enter into any sort of career having to do with this, and even so, he was extremely rich, so any plants he had around a servant who would no doubt take care of it. So what in the world was the point of any.  
  
"Ahhh!"  
  
Draco turned his head, along with the rest of the class, staring down at the north end of the long table at which the students sat. The Gryfinndors had taken that end of the table. As he scanned the students, he saw Granger, messing up, the plant she was working on falling to the ground, smashing.  
  
He blurted out in laughter, along with the other students, and then laughed even harder because he realized it was in fact Granger, the girl who got everything right and never messed up at all. He laughed louder then everyone there, and Granger actually looked down at him. She shot him a glance of ice cold hatred. Looking back, Draco only laughed harder, even when he saw Potter and Weasel looking at him too.  
  
Before he knew it, which he was thankful for, the class was over. Draco gathered his things and went towards the door, hoping to pass Granger and say something to make everyone laugh, but she got out the door before he could. He shook his head, smiling and walked out the door.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle took up the normal positions on either side of Draco, walking in his wake. It was when they were almost a hundred yards from the castle that Dillon McCray, a fellow Syltherin, came up beside them, looking past Crabbe and Goyle. "Hey, Malfoy? Can I have a moment?" He called.  
  
Malfoy looked over at him. McCray was widely known for his gambling ways about Hogwarts, helping people place bets on events and running his own rings of betting on certain school activities, like the Quidditch matches. Malfoy had won numerous bets with McCray, never really for the money, more just to get some enjoyment out of his stay at Hogwarts, which was at most times boring to him. Sometimes the only fun he got out of school was making fun of other students there, his constant target being Harry Potter and his two friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.  
  
Malfoy tilted his head aside at Crabbe and Goyle who stepped back, letting McCray walk beside him. "What do you need, McCray?"  
  
"I got a proposition which I think you might find interesting."  
  
Malfoy smiled thinly. "Go on." He replied.  
  
"Well, I was offered a bet today which was to be offered to you, and here I am to offer it."  
  
"Well?"  
  
"That bet is about a girl."  
  
"What about a girl?"  
  
"Well, the bet is to see if you can get with this girl."  
  
"If I can get a girl to go out with me, or me to go out with a girl?" Malfoy said. "What are you saying McCray, that I can't get any girls in a place like this?"  
  
"No, no, Malfoy. You didn't let me finish." McCray replied. "I have no doubt you could have any girl in the whole school if you wanted to, but this bet struck a cord with me and made me think twice."  
  
"Who's the girl?" Malfoy asked.  
  
McCray was silent for a moment. "Granger."  
  
Malfoy looked at him. "Granger? From Gryfinndor?"  
  
"That's the one." McCray said.  
  
Malfoy just started to laugh. His laughter began to rise and after a long moment, he calmed down, looking over at him. "You've got to be kidding."  
  
"That's why it's an interesting bet I must say." McCray replied.  
  
Malfoy looked down at him then continued to walk forward, laughing again. "Who's idea of a bet was this?"  
  
"The person wishes to remain anonymous." McCray replied. Malfoy looked at him. McCray shrugged his shoulders. "Allright, it is my own idea." He nodded. "I knew it'd be interesting. So, you up for it, Malfoy? Or you don't think you could beat this one?"  
  
Malfoy again laughed, then looked forward. He peered over the students and saw Granger walking beside Weasel and Potter. He started to laugh and then said, "How much is this bet for, McCray?"  
  
"500."  
  
Malfoy raised his eyebrows. "You have that kind of money?"  
  
"I always have that kind of money." McCray smiled.  
  
Malfoy smirked and glanced down at him, then looked forward again. "So, what do I have to do to win?"  
  
"Well, you get with Granger and then ask her to the Ginger Ball. You dance with her, and at the end of the ball I pay you your money. Simple as that."  
  
"What's this really about?" Malfoy said, sensing something.  
  
McCray looked at him and then looked down. "Yeah, I knew I couldn't just get this by you, Malfoy. Well, you see, I have this friend of mine, not really a friend, an associate."  
  
"Who?" Malfoy said.  
  
"Well, it's my sister." McCray replied. "She's uh, well, she fancies Potter."  
  
"C'mon, then!" Malfoy laughed.  
  
"Yeah, I don't know. She wants to ask him to the Ginger Ball and well, she thinks Granger is competition, so needs her out of the way."  
  
"I see." Malfoy said. "How brotherly of you, McCray." Malfoy said. "Having a celebrity in the family would be great, wouldn't it?"  
  
"You never cease to amaze me, Malfoy." McCray smiled. "So, do we have a deal?"  
  
"I get my money once the ball is over, right after, no later."  
  
"I'll have it in my pocket at the ball." McCray said.  
  
"So I have two weeks to get this done then?" Malfoy said.  
  
"Yes, that's how long till the ball."  
  
"That'll be quite a challenge." Malfoy replied.  
  
"So we have a deal?"  
  
"Deal." Malfoy said, shaking McCray's hand.  
Draco walked down the hallway toward the great hall where lunch was being served with his head down. Crabbe and Goyle had run up ahead, as always, smelling the food.  
  
Draco went over his options in his head, looking down. He had only one class with Granger that he could take advantage of. His Medical Arts class, the final class of the day where Granger was the only Gryfinndor there, and the rest of the students made up mostly of Syltherin. Draco and her were the only ones of the same age in the class, and the other students were all years younger then them.  
  
His medical arts class wasn't till after two more periods and Draco also had lunch. He could think more then.  
  
Funny enough, the first thing Draco did was to look toward the Gryfinndor table as he entered the great hall. Granger was in her normal place, seated across from Weasel and Potter. Suddenly, the urge to get behind another table and hurl a piece of food over at them rumbled in Draco's veins, and he could already hear the laughter of the surrounding tables as the piece of food landed on the table and splattered their drinks all about them.  
  
Draco shook his head, smiled and walked toward his table. He sat and began to eat slowly, every now and then looking over at Granger from across the way. Staring at her, Draco remembered suddenly all the times they had had encounters. He remembered making fun of her the first year, and then calling her a mudblood to her face finally the second year. That had certainly done some damage, Draco was sure. But the moment that struck the most was when she had slapped him the third year. He had been going on about the oaf Hagrid, one of the teachers and groundskeeper for Hogwarts, saying how he thought he was a pathetic teacher. He had said it straight to them, wanting to make them angry. It had worked, and Potter and Weasley charged him, but it was Granger who was there first and she had slapped him, clear across the face.  
  
Draco remembered how stunned he had been by it, how absolutely amazed. A fire had suddenly erupted in Granger, as she even tried to hit him again but Weasley even had to hold her back. She had totally lost it, and Draco had liked that.  
  
He looked up at her again and saw she had opened a book and was staring down at it. Draco shook his head and returned to his eating.  
The last class finally came and Draco took up his normal seat in the back, and spent most of the class staring across at Granger, who sat a few rows to his right. He had never found her truly attractive; yet he wouldn't say she was ugly. He thought her pretty, perhaps, for a mudblood. Her long, curly brown hair and nice little face, even her smile might have been nice looking to members of her own kind, but Draco never had thought that way about her. All he saw when he looked at her now was the image in his head of the fire in her eyes the day she had slapped him, the one thing that had attracted him to her.  
  
It was then that Granger turned her head, actually catching Draco looking at her from the corner of her eye. She turned and stared straight back at him, at first curious, then staring harshly into his eyes. Draco just continued his stare at her, not reacting in anyway at her glance and she, for a moment, looked deep into his eyes, then grimaced and turned away. Draco couldn't help but smile again.  
  
All through the class a boy by the name of Frank Dolby made fun of Granger, making little jokes about her and laughing whenever she gave an answer, causing ripples of laughter to spread through the class.  
  
Draco realized then that Frank Dolby was the key to his plan. Frank Dolby had been a school jerk, too small a size to be a bully, but clever enough to make jokes about any person he could and always got quite a laugh out of it. He usually picked on girls and had made a habit to make fun of Granger in the class, most people even looked forward to it.  
  
Draco had remembered the first day class had begun, the look on Granger's face when she saw no one she knew in the class, the look when she saw Draco, and the look when she saw Dolby. It had made him laugh and he sat back and watched the show as Dolby made Granger's life a living hell in the class. He even remembered how Dolby would follow Granger out of class down the hall and continue to taunt her, for Dolby could always stand up to a girl.  
  
So Draco didn't laugh at all that day, and it made things a lot different. Dolby had grown a respect and admiration for Draco and always looked back at him to see if he was laughing. And today Draco did not, so Dolby tried even harder, making harder and meaner jokes. He even made a joke and spread it from student to student, passing it to the student right beside Granger so she could hear it well enough herself.  
  
When the joke had made its way to Draco, he sat back after leaning forward to hear it, and then looked back at the teacher, his face emotionless. He hadn't actually even found the joke that funny and noticed that the laughter in the room had died down quickly after everyone had seen he did not laugh.  
  
Draco looked forward and caught Granger looking at him, and had realized she had been looking at him when he had been told the joke. When he had not laughed, Granger gave him a curious stare, but had quickly looked away when Draco glanced at her. Draco almost smiled at this.  
  
When the class had ended, Dolby still went on, just as he expected. Dolby followed Granger down the hall, just as he expected. He watched them head down the hallway then followed after them.  
  
Dolby was leaning close to Granger, almost yelling in her face, wanting to get her to cry it seemed. A crowd of three other people had followed them, laughing so loud at each of Dolby's remarks it echoed through the hall. Draco advanced closer and as Dolby made another joke that made the other surrounding three actually stop in their tracks and lean over, laughing so hard. One of them turned, gasping for breath and froze, seeing Draco. The other two had frozen too, looking up and seeing Draco. He rushed passed them as they stepped out of the way and stared at him.  
  
Dolby had almost got Granger to cry now, perhaps trying to make up for the missed events in class that day. He swung his arm out and knocked some of Granger's books down, laughing louder and louder.  
  
As Draco approached, he actually felt something swelling his chest. He didn't know what it was at first, but he actually wanted to stop this, he wanted to hurt Dolby. He liked the feeling as his hands clenched and he rushed forward.  
  
Dolby was now laughing at Granger as she bent down to pick up her books, and was almost about to knock her down it seemed, when a blur passed by his face and something grasped his robes roughly, pulling him back. He felt himself fly through the air for a brief second then land hard on the ground, scraping his shoulder and elbow, straining his wrist. He was dazed for a second and looked up, just to see Draco stepping toward him and reached down and grab him again, swinging him up and slamming him into the rock wall of the hallway.  
  
Draco caught Granger staring at him from the corner of his eye and jabbed Dolby hard in the stomach. As Dolby bent over, coughing, and Draco grabbed his robes and sent him flying forward and he rolled on the ground and slid to a stop. Draco turned to him and said with a cold stare and his face hard, "Get out." And then smiled as Dolby got to his feet as quick as he could, moaning, then ran down the hall, tripping and falling, then running again. Draco turned around.  
  
Granger was standing in the middle of the hall staring in amazement at Draco, a look of total confusion on her face. This amused Draco for a moment as he was so used to a look of total confidence of her face in class as she answered almost every question.  
  
Looking at her, Draco almost couldn't think of anything to say, then finally said, "You ought to be more careful, Granger." He almost said 'Mudblood' but had stopped himself. "I can see you can't protect yourself, not even against skinny little boys like that punk." He walked toward her. She still remained motionless, staring at him. "Well, you gonna' pick up your books or you want me to do that to?"  
  
She suddenly snapped to life, looked at him then bent down and picked up the rest of her books. He picked up the last one and handed it to her. She took it and looked up at him, but suddenly a look of anger shot on her face as she looked at him. It was the beginning of the fire he had so loved to see. "That wasn't necessary." She said, then turned and walked away from him, her robes swaying.  
  
"That's all I get? I help you, protect you from that rat and don't even get a thank you?" Draco called after her.  
  
She stopped in her tracks and turned to him, almost rushing toward him. "No, because you weren't helping me." She said, the anger covering her face, pointing at him. "You're just evil, Malfoy, you're mean. You enjoy hurting people, that's all that was." She turned to walk away again.  
  
"I should have known that would be the thanks I get when I stick my neck out for a filthy mudblood like yourself." Draco said, and it made her absolutely freeze in her tracks.  
  
She turned fiercely and stepped forward, then swung an open palm at him. Malfoy grasped it in mid-air, making her freeze. He was even surprised himself that he had caught it.  
  
"Temper, Granger." Draco said, still holding her hand and smiling a bit. Granger looked at him, their eyes connecting.  
  
"Let go of me." Granger said, fighting to free her hand.  
  
Draco moved his fingers on her hand, felt her soft skin. "Why?" He said, looking deeper at her and moving her back, against the wall.  
  
Granger looked at him. "I don't like you touching me." She said, but this time her voice had slowed and become softer. She stared into Draco's eyes.  
  
Draco moved his head closer to hers, their faces inches apart. "Why?" He said, looking over her face, at her lips, then at her eyes. She still stared at it him.  
  
"Because I-" In that instant, Draco brought his lips to Granger's. Her lips were soft and full, and he enjoyed the feel of them. Their eyes closed and he felt Granger stop fighting and kiss him, but neither of them were really kissing, their lips just pressed softly together.  
  
It lasted for a brief moment, which seemed to last longer in Draco's mind. He pressed against her, pushing her against the wall, holding her hand up against the wall. She seemed to succumb to him in that moment, letting him kiss her, and then suddenly snapped and pulled away, turned her head aside. She pushed him back and stepped aside, holding her head down.  
  
Draco had looked at the wall where Granger had been standing. He had actually enjoyed that, Granger had great lips. He looked over at her and was about to say something, but couldn't think of anything, and then in that moment a familiar voice yelled down the hall from them.  
  
"Oi!!" Came the voice. Draco looked up and saw Weasley charging down the hall toward them, with Potter beside him. "Malfoy, get away her!" Weasley roared, his fists clenched. Before anything even registered in his head, Weasley had pushed Malfoy back roughly, and he almost tripped on his own two feet. His mind was flying, thinking of what had just happened, feeling the tingling on his lips. When Weasley had pushed him, he seemed to come back to life.  
  
"Are you allright?" Potter had asked Granger behind Weasley who was staring down at Draco. He didn't hear her say anything and jumped to his feet, stepping close to Weasley.  
  
He looked over Weasley's shoulder at Hermione, who was looking at him with Potter. He looked at her, then at Weasley in front of him, and then walked away. He felt their stares behind him and smiled to himself as he walked around the corner. He had enjoyed that. This was going to be fun.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED. 


	2. That wasn't so bad, yesterday

I don't own Harry Potter or anything related to it.  
  
Authors note: For this story, I made up extra characters and things to fill in needed elements of the story. If you see anything or anybody you don't recognize, that's the reason. Also, I read the books along time ago so my memory of all the stuff isn't as great as it used to be so if anyone sees any major mistakes or even little things, be sure to put it in the review, if you do decide to review.  
  
THINGS CHANGE  
  
By Red Tide  
  
Chapter 2: That wasn't so bad, yesterday.  
  
Hermione Granger tried to read her book, but her mind kept flying away. She continued to read; reading harder and faster, but again would lose her place, and have to read again. She tried to read aloud, walking about the empty room, and finally let the book fall and dropped her shoulders moaning, "Oh, it wasn't even that great of a kiss!"  
  
She dropped onto her bed and sat with her head down, breathing. She couldn't think of anything else. Malfoy's eyes pierced into her mind, whenever she closed her eyes she saw them, saw his face, saw his smile.  
  
Her fists suddenly clenched. Oh, how she hated him! How dare he kiss her? How dare she let herself be kissed! This was Draco Malfoy, the same Draco Malfoy that had made her life at Hogwarts horrible no matter how hard she had tried to ignore him. Draco Malfoy, the evil Draco Malfoy!  
  
She moaned again through clenched teeth and slammed her clenched fist against the pillow of her bed. The door to the girl's dorm suddenly opened and a girl walked in, going to her bed and smiling to Hermione. She said hello and Hermione muttered a hello back, looking away. She suddenly got back to her senses in that moment and walked to the door to go to dinner. Harry and Ron would be waiting for her.  
  
She had told them what had happened, all except the part where Draco had kissed her. She didn't know why she had kept it from them, they were her closest friends, and she trusted them with everything, but something had stopped her from saying anything. As she walked out to the main Gryfinndor room, she saw Harry and Ron sitting by the fire, talking with one another. Harry looked up and saw Hermione as she came into the room and Ron looked up also. They walked to her.  
  
"Are you allright?" Harry asked again.  
  
Hermione nodded, avoiding looking up at them. "Yes, I'm fine."  
  
She felt a hand touch her chin and softly push her face up. "Are you sure you're allright, Hermione?" Ron asked.  
  
She looked at him and Harry. "Yes. Yes, I'm okay." She smiled at them.  
  
"C'mon then, let's go to dinner." Harry said, turning.  
  
"Yeah, I'm starving." Ron said, patting his stomach. Hermione smiled and followed them out the room and they walked down the hallway together.  
  
When they made to the hallway, Hermione saw Draco sitting at his seat, already eating. She looked away and followed Ron and Harry, sitting beside him. She looked up just in time to see Draco look away and she stared harshly at him, gritting her teeth beneath pursed lips. Draco glanced at her again and saw the anger on her face, looked away, and smiled to himself.  
  
Dinner went by without any event, Hermione eat herself full, trying to get her mind off Draco. She glanced over at his table almost every minute or so, but he never looked up at her, never looked at her again.  
  
She followed the rest up to the Gryfinndor tower and stayed up for another four hours, reading books and then playing a game of chess with Ginny. She lost of course, her mind in another place.  
  
When she went to bed, she laid awoke for several hours, reliving the moment in her head over and over. Draco kissed her again several times that night in her mind, and she twisted and turned, trying to fight the feeling in her chest, how much she wanted it to go away, and the feeling of how much she had enjoyed the kiss.  
Most of the next day passed without event, whenever Hermione was near Draco she looked away, ignoring him. She didn't want to think of him, and concentrated more and more on her work. But as she walked into her final class of the day, the only class she had alone with Draco, she felt her heart beat faster and faster.  
  
Class went as usual, with a lecture and the teacher asking questions. With Hermione feeling Draco's eyes on her back, she almost couldn't answer a question when she was asked it, hardly paying attention at all.  
  
She didn't notice something nice. Frank Dolby had gone completely silent the entire class time. He didn't even talk at all, and looked away from Hermione, a look of fear and anger on his face.  
  
When class had ended, she grasped her books and turned around, glancing at Draco but only to find that Draco was not there, and had left the class already. She felt better, and almost sighed as she walked out the classroom.  
  
She held her books across her chest as she walked down the hallway, glancing over her shoulder, to see if Dolby was following her, but also to see if Draco was. She saw no one behind her and walked around the corner.  
  
"Dolby leaving you alone now, eh, Granger?" Draco said, making her turn and jump, seeing him. He was leaning against the wall, smiling.  
  
Hermione just stared at him, stepping back a bit. She looked at him and then her face turned to anger. "Stay away, Malfoy."  
  
"Now, don't I get a thank you?" Malfoy said. "Dolby's leaving you alone now, thanks to me."  
  
"No," Hermione replied. "He's only leaving me alone now because he's afraid of you but sooner or later he'll start again."  
  
Malfoy smiled. "I guess I'll just have to follow you every day then."  
  
Hermione stared at him, then said, "Leave me alone." She walked past him, down the hall.  
  
"Y'know, Granger," He called after her. "That wasn't so bad, yesterday."  
  
Hermione stopped.  
  
"Even for a mudblood, you kiss well, Granger." Malfoy smiled as she turned around. The fire was back in her eyes.  
  
Hermione wanted to slap him, but restrained herself. "Never.kiss me again." She said.  
  
"Me, kiss? Oh, no, Granger, that was all you!" He leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms.  
  
"What?" She almost yelled. "That was you!"  
  
"Sure, Granger, whatever you say." Malfoy rolled his eyes.  
  
Hermione almost growled. Suddenly, she turned on her heels and started to walk away.  
Draco stood there for a second, smiling, watching her walk away, then started after her.  
  
"Granger." He called. She kept walking as if she hadn't heard him. He walked faster, came up and grabbed her arm. "Hermione."  
  
She roughly knocked his arm away. "Get off, Malfoy." But suddenly glanced at him for a moment after hearing him call her Hermione. He hadn't even realized it himself. Then she started to walk away again.  
  
"Hey." He smiled, grasping for her arm again. She pulled her arm away.  
  
"Stay away, Malfoy." She muttered.  
  
"Hey, look, ok, I did kiss you." He said.  
  
She turned to him, looking at his eyes. He suddenly saw how nice her eyes looked then.  
  
He smiled. "Yeah, I did. I'm sorry."  
  
She looked at him. "Don't ever think you can kiss me and never ever do it again." She said, the fire in her eyes. "Now leave me alone." She started to walk away.  
  
"Hey, hey, c'mon," He said, going for her arm again. She knocked it away. He grasped it again. "Hey, you looked like you wanted me to! You were staring into my eyes, you didn't stop me, you didn't say anything, what do you expect?" He pleaded. "Hmm?" He looked at her eyes.  
  
She looked at him for a moment, and he saw her calculating in her head, he was right. She turned and walked away again.  
  
"Hey, why don't you let me apologize to you?" He said, grasping her arm again. "C'mon, I'll make it up to you."  
  
"Make it up to me? You?" She suddenly said, her eyebrows raised. "Forget it!" She almost screamed, fighting his grip and walking faster. He was right behind her, grabbing her arm again. She wasn't getting away.  
  
"Hey, c'mon, I can make it all up to you." He pleaded. "How about I, uh, buy you some candy or something?"  
  
"I wouldn't trust anything you gave me." She said coldly, but it didn't have an effect on him.  
  
"Ok then, uh, how about a ride around the lake tonight?" He smiled. "I got my broom, c'mon, you look like the romantic type, you'd like it. I do it myself sometimes, it's very peaceful out there, very nice."  
  
Hermione looked at him with a look of almost shock on her face. "No." She finally said, turned and walked away.  
  
"C'mon," Draco continued, walking beside her. "I don't see why you're being so mean, I'm trying to make this up to you." A crowd of voices was heard around the corner in front of them. Draco grabbed her quickly. "What do you say? C'mon." He smiled at her, looking into her eyes.  
  
She looked back, heard the people coming, stared at him and said.  
  
"No."  
  
Draco's smile almost disappeared.  
  
".At least, not tonight." She finished, looking down and away. Draco suddenly looked up, a smile slowly returning to his face. She didn't smile back and looked away. He smiled at her again and then dashed off, disappearing around the corner as the crowd of Gryfinndors appeared at the other side of the hallway.  
  
Draco ran back to the Syltherin dorm and changed, then went to dinner. Everything was working out fine so far; he might be able to pull this off, he thought as he walked to the great hallway. Hermione had now fallen to him, at least he thought so, and he only needed to do now was spend more time with her, tell her she was pretty, all that lovely stuff, and she was his. He thought for a moment it had been kind of easy, not as hard as he thought, but it wasn't over yet.  
  
As he sat to eat, he looked over at the Gryfinndor table and saw Hermione sitting, eating. A weird thing happened then. She looked different to him, as if he had seen her for the first time. Now, looking at her, she was much more attractive. He noticed things now. Her curly brown hair, her eyes, and her lips. They now appeared to him like he'd never noticed them before. He almost became dazed looking at her now, staring as if nothing was between them, as if they were the only ones there.  
  
When dinner had finished and he made his way back upstairs, he avoided Crabbe and Goyle and walked the halls by himself, thinking. He passed by the Syltherin dormitory and walked about the empty halls for sometime. Images of Hermione flooded through his head. She was beautiful to him now, as if no other woman ever existed. She smiled to him in his head, and he even smiled himself, and then stopped in his tracks.  
  
"Oh," He suddenly said out loud, not even registering that he had. Was he falling for her? He thought to himself. Was he falling for her like he thought she was falling for him? A word suddenly flashed in his head.  
  
MUDBLOOD.  
  
He breathed out, as if he had just held his breath for an hour. He reached out and balanced himself against the wall.  
  
His father's face came before his eyes, his mother's face. He could never.was he? A mudblood, no, not him. He couldn't, he wouldn't, what would they think? Besides, this was all a bet, nothing more, just a wager, he'd take her to the ball and that'd be it, he'd be done with her.  
  
But why was her image still in his head? Why was he still thinking of her? Why was he thinking of her as if he had felt this way his whole life?  
  
To Be Continued. 


	3. I Think You’re Very Beautiful

I don't own Harry Potter or anything related to it.  
  
Authors note: For this story, I made up extra characters and things to fill in needed elements of the story. If you see anything or anybody you don't recognize, that's the reason. Also, I read the books along time ago so my memory of all the stuff isn't as great as it used to be so if anyone sees any major mistakes or even little things, be sure to put it in the review, if you do decide to review.  
  
For This Chapter: Football is played in this chapter and I don't mean American Football, I mean soccer, which is called Football in England.  
  
THINGS CHANGE  
  
By Red Tide  
  
Chapter 3: I Think You're Very Beautiful  
  
It was the weekend, no classes for two days. Draco Malfoy walked around with his hands in his pockets, looking down at the ground. He was strolling outside, in the fresh air, about the school grounds. He had told Crabbe and Goyle to leave him alone today; he had some work to do.  
  
The cool wind blew at his sweater as he made his way toward the lake. He looked up and saw some students sitting in a circle playing with a ball, levitating it and passing it to one another. He walked farther and saw more students, some even playing on broomsticks and flying about the trees. It was just after breakfast, so most of the students were out.  
  
Draco walked to the lake and skipped rocks for what seemed like an hour. His mind wandered. He tried to clear his head, but could not; Hermione's image floated all about in it.  
  
It was only a bet, he told himself. He didn't care at all for this girl, he never had. Anyway, she was a mudblood. This was only a bet, he'd do what he'd have to do, take her to the ball, and that was that. He cleared his head and thought to himself, what would he plan next.  
  
The next thing he'd have to do was take her out, go somewhere with her. Obviously, he couldn't do anything in the middle of the day, he didn't want people seeing them, and neither would she. But then, he was going to dance with her at the ball, people would see them then anyhow. He shook his head, sighing. This was going to be harder then he thought.  
  
He walked back the other way around the castle, and saw Hagrid's hut sitting by the dark forest. He could see figures moving about inside it and thought that Hermione was probably in there with Potter and Weasley, talking to Hagrid. Could they be talking about him? Had Hermione told them already about him? Had she told Hagrid? Had she told them about the kiss?  
  
Just then, as his thoughts ran in his head, the door to the hut opened and out walked Potter, Weasley and Hermione, all chattering. They all saw Draco and glared at him, even Hermione. He looked back at them, but didn't smile, he just stared at them. A moment passed and they walked away, Hermione glanced back at him, shooting a glare, and Draco's eyes caught hers.  
  
He walked back to the castle and went up to the Syltherin room, going to his bed and looking out the window at the lake and mountains in the distance. When Crabbe came in moments later to say it was lunchtime, he waved him away and looked out the window for another minute, then headed down to the hallway.  
Hermione sat down beside Harry with Ron across the table.  
  
"Where you been, then?" Ron asked, his mouth full.  
  
"Just finishing my book." She replied, scooting into the seat and taking a piece of bread.  
  
Although she fought it hard, she could stop thinking about it, thinking about Malfoy. She hated him so much, she truly did, but he was filth, he was a person below hatred, he wasn't worth hate. Then why was she thinking so much about him? He had plagued her thoughts for the last few days and she had hated it, thankful for the weekend to clear her mind. Later today, she would go out to the lake and sit in silence, to clear her head.  
  
It was just then he walked in and Hermione turned to him. He walked to his table, looking down, his hands in his pockets. Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere to be seen, and he walked alone.  
  
Looking at him, Hermione thought he was quite handsome. She had always thought he was good-looking, there was no denying that, but she had hated him from the first moment he had shown his evil side. All that attraction had disappeared then, and she only saw him as the evil person he was. But now, it was like that was all returning. She was finding him better looking now, something more to look at. But most of all it was his eyes. His eyes were powerful, yet soothing. When she had looked into his eyes when they had kissed, she became mesmerized by them, as if there was a spell on her. She didn't understand it. All this hatred she had for him dissolved when she looked at those eyes, and she didn't understand it.  
  
Looking at him now, she knew in the back of her head this was all a game. There must have been some kind of reason for Malfoy to sudden interest in her, something must have provoked him. Or maybe somehow, he had actually grown to like her; maybe he now had found her attractive and wanted to be with her. It seemed impossible but Hermione thought it still might be.oh, what was she thinking? Oh course there was some kind of game behind all this, she knew what Malfoy was like. But then, why did she still think he might like her, but more, why did she, deep down, almost wish it?  
Later in the day, something happened that usually never happened at Hogwarts. A football game had begun. No one knew who had started it, some kids just started playing. Soon enough crowds formed about it and more people joined in, and it was a friendly game, everyone having a laugh and the teams getting bigger and bigger.  
  
When Draco came out, he saw that most of the people there were Hufflepuffs and Gryfinndors, but Draco came out anyway. He saw that Weasley and Potter were playing and then saw that Hermione was sitting on the side line, laughing and watching the game with some other girls from Gryfinndor.  
  
When he stepped into the crowd, most of the people went silent looking at him and began whispering. More people turned to look at him and soon almost everyone was staring at him, including Hermione. Then the players saw him, looked at him for a moment, yet started to play again. Draco continued to watch the game and people soon began to forget he was there, and watched the game. Draco looked across and saw Hermione staring at him but then turned back at the game. Her face was now hard; he could tell she was mad he was here.  
  
"Hey!" Draco yelled. He walked out onto the field. The players turned to him. "Can I get in on this then?" He asked, rolling up the sleeves on his shirt.  
  
Everyone almost froze.  
  
"No!" Weasley yelled. They looked at him.  
  
"Yeah, sure." A Hufflepuff boy said. "You can play sweeper for Potter's team."  
  
"No way!" Weasley said. "I'm not playing with this git!"  
  
"Hey, hey!" Draco suddenly said. "I just want to play some football, that's all."  
  
"Playing a muggle sport? What did you hit your head when you beat that Dolby kid?" Ron yelled again.  
  
Draco looked at him then glanced over at Hermione who was looking away. "Look, Weasley," Draco replied. He had noticed he didn't say 'Weasel' like he usually did. So did Weasley. "I'll be the sweeper, I'll stay in the back, ok?"  
  
Weasley stared at him.  
  
"Are we gonna' play?" The Hufflepuff said.  
  
"Yeah, c'mon!" Another voice said from behind them. They all looked at Weasley. Draco almost smiled. Weasley shook his head and rolled his eyes, swinging his head back. They all ran to their places. Draco ran to the back of the field, nodded to the goalie and then got ready as the ball went into play.  
  
Suddenly he realized what he was doing. He was playing football with a bunch of Gryfinndors and Hufflepuffs. He was playing a muggle sport, just like Weasley had said. What was he doing here? This was all toward the bet, he told himself. This was all too impress Hermione. To make her think he was being nice, make her think he was a good person. Yeah, that's all it was. So, he'd have some fun while doing it. Football was pretty fun, he had played it before.  
Hermione tried to watch the game, tried to watch as the ball was passed down field, but her eyes kept moving to Draco. She glanced at him repeatedly, and then noticed something else. Other girls were looking at him. Some were even staring at him. She couldn't believe it, they were. She shook her head in disgust and looked to the game.  
  
Ron passed the ball down the line to Harry, who spun but lost it, a Hufflepuff student kicking it from his feet...Malfoy was just standing there. Well, he was bent over, staring forward at the ball, stretching his shoulders. She shook her head and looked back at the game.  
  
The girls about her were still glancing at Malfoy. So, she was right, he was good-looking; at least everyone else had thought so. Suddenly, he looked over at her and she looked away. She noticed the heads of the girls around her turn away also, and almost laughed at it. A smile crept on her face and she looked back at Malfoy, who was still looking at her. Yet he wasn't smiling; he was just staring, looking at her with those eyes of his. Looking back, she almost couldn't look away.  
  
Then he stepped back, just as a player swept up the field toward him. Their eyes broke apart and he rushed forward, kicking the ball out and passing the ball up the field, right to Harry. Harry took it as if he didn't notice who had just passed it to him, and charged up the field. They made a goal, passing it to Ron and then to another player who kicked it in. The team all jumped up cheering. Hermione looked and saw Malfoy actually clap hands with the goalie behind him, but noticed that he stayed back from the rest, avoiding Harry and Ron.  
  
The game continued on for sometime, with Harry's team winning. The celebration was short and sweet, dinner was next. Hermione noticed that Malfoy had clapped the goalie's hand then walked away, almost disappearing before anyone had noticed.  
  
"Where'd Malfoy go?" Harry asked, coming up to Hermione as the crowd walked back. Hermione shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"What do you suppose all that was about then?" Ron said, coming up behind them. "Never seen Malfoy do that before, I thought he hated everything muggle."  
  
"I definitely think something's going on." Harry said. "Did he say anything to you, Hermione, when he came to your rescue?"  
  
Hermione shook her head. "He didn't really say anything. In fact all he said was I should watch out for myself around the halls, and then, uh, you guys came." She lied. She still had not told them about the kiss Draco and her had shared, the same kiss that had plagued her mind for the last day.  
  
"He's trying to get on your good side." Ron said. "Trying to get on all our good sides. But the question is why?"  
  
"Knowing him, there's something behind all of it." Harry said.  
  
Hermione looked down, nodding. ".Yeah." She said, almost sighing. Luckily, neither Ron nor Harry noticed.  
It worked out just as he thought; he caught Hermione walking alone to the girl's bathroom.  
  
"Hey, there, Granger." Draco said, coming up behind her. Hermione stopped and turned around slowly.  
  
"Hello, Malfoy." She actually said in reply, her voice calm, not an once of hatred in it, Draco noticed.  
  
"So, when are you free then?" Draco said, not wasting a moments time.  
  
Hermione ignored him. "Never knew you were a football fan, Malfoy." She said. "Wish I had my camera with me, that was something, you actually playing a muggle sport."  
  
"I've always loved football." Draco looked at her. He leaned against the wall, smiling, looking up. "But, I never knew so many girls enjoyed staring at me." He looked down at her. "Not that I can help it."  
  
Hermione looked at him, a look of disgust shining on her face. Draco liked it a bit. "Don't think you're anything special, Malfoy. Those girls probably just want your money." Hermione said.  
  
"What, were they staring at my pockets then?" Draco replied. "I don't think so, Hermione."  
  
Hermione looked at him, seeing his eyes, almost not looking away again. Draco smiled. She turned aside.  
  
"You did notice, I was looking back." Draco said, stepping closer. "But I wasn't looking at any of them." He looked straight into her eyes. She almost became dazed again and then.  
  
She laughed, looking away, stepping back. "You were looking at me? A mudblood?"  
  
Draco's smile had dissolved.  
  
"You? Draco Malfoy?" Hermione continued. "You were looking at a Mudblood?" She looked down, laughing. She had got him with that one.  
  
"Well," Draco said after a moment. "I wouldn't normally. But I can't help it if the muggle born is.beautiful."  
  
"Oh, yeah." She laughed, turning to him. Suddenly when she looked at him, she paused. His face was full and real, his eyes intent. There wasn't any doubt on his face; he had meant what he said.  
  
"Very beautiful." Draco said.  
  
Hermione stared a moment longer. "Keep it up, Malfoy," She said, pushing open the door to the bathroom. "Maybe you'll get to kiss me again." A look of hatred had returned on her face and she went into bathroom, closing the door behind her.  
  
She leaned against the door as it closed and she sighed, closing her eyes. On the other side, Draco had leaned his shoulder against the wall, looking down. A smile crept on his face, he was amazingly.surprised.  
When Hermione came out, Draco was gone and she sighed, walking down the hallway.  
  
"Hermione." A voice called behind her. She stopped, recognizing the voice. Her shoulders dropped and she sighed, turning to yell.  
  
It happened so fast, it was as if one of the ghosts had phased through her. Draco grasped her chin between his thumb and fingers and softly brought her mouth to his. It lasted for no longer then a few seconds and then he pulled away and whispered, "I think you're very beautiful, Hermione."  
  
And like that, he was gone and Hermione stood alone in the middle of the hall, her eyes still closed, and her lips tingling.  
  
To Be Continued... 


End file.
